Persecution
Introduction
In this short story I am sharing with you one of my life's experiences and the wisdom the Lord Jesus has given me through it. My hope and prayer is you will be both blessed and encouraged by this little booklet.
May we all continue to acknowledge Jesus before men, and stand strong in the face of opposition, persecution, and death.
May we rejoice and remember Jesus, who endured such opposition so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.
1
The Dream
On January 25, 2008 I had an interesting dream that was somewhat disturbing.
I dreamt a group of us brothers and sisters in Christ were gathered together at our house. When I looked out the window, I saw armies of men marching up the streets. I somehow knew they were gathering up all the Christians to put them in jail, or worse.
We were all quiet as they raided our house. We all hid. After the men had left, and taken our brothers and sisters away, there was still about 5 of us left who did not get caught.
One of my sisters showed me two New Testament Bibles she had taken from one of my bookcases.
It was then I realized that most likely all my Christian books and resources had been confiscated. I couldn’t help asking myself, “Why didn’t I have the foresight to hide away a few more resources?”
I looked out the window. Night had come and it was so dark outside. We were sitting inside in the darkness because we knew a light would give us away to the officials.
As we hid in the darkness, the fear that gripped me grew stronger and stronger.
Then I woke up.
2
The Movie
I am reminded of the 1959 movie I saw many years ago, The Diary of Anne Frank.*
By nationality, Anne was German until 1941, when she lost her nationality owing to the anti-Semitic policies of Nazi Germany.
Anne gained international fame after her death, following the publication of her diary. In her diary she had documented her experiences in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
On Monday morning, July 6th, 1942, the Frank family moved into their hiding place. The Frank family included Anne at age 13, her father Otto, her mother Edith, and her older sister Margot.
On July 13th, 1942, the Franks were joined by the van Pels family: Hermann, Auguste, and 16-year-old Peter, and then in November by Fritz Pfeffer, a dentist and friend of the family.
They were found in their hiding place and arrested on August 4th, 1944. On September 3rd, they were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
The men were forcibly separated from the women and children. Anne's father was wrenched from his family.
Of the 1,019 passengers transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp, 549 - including all children younger than fifteen - were sent directly to the gas chambers.
On October 28th, selections began for women to be relocated to Bergen-Belsen. More than 8,000 women, including Anne and Margot Frank and Auguste van Pels, were transported.
In March 1945, a typhus epidemic spread through the camp. Approximately 17,000 prisoners died. Margot and Anne died within a few days of each other.
It is believed Margot and Anne died only a few weeks before the camp was liberated by British troops on April 15, 1945.
Edith Frank, who was left behind at Auschwitz concentration camp, died from starvation.
Otto Frank survived his internment in Auschwitz. After the war ended, he returned to Amsterdam. There he was sheltered by Jan and Miep Gies, while he attempted to locate his family. He soon learned His wife Edith and his two daughters Margot and Anne had not survived their internment.
What crime did the Frank family, the van Pels family, and Fritz
Pfeffer commit? They were Jewish.
The information in this chapter was taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, in the following article:
*Anne Frank
3
Insights
Persecution, is a horrible thing. But why? Because of a person's nationality, their skin color, their religion, or their faith?
At the time I saw the movie The Diary of Anne Frank, it never occurred to me I would become a Christian and could be persecuted for following Christ.
Many Christians are being persecuted today. Some are in prison in Afghanistan, China, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Canada is not like that yet. But how can we as Christians remain silent as we see laws passed in Canada that are contrary to God's Word? Three examples are:
- legalized killing (abortion & euthanasia),
- legalized homosexuality,
- same-sex marriages.
1) Thou Shalt Not Kill
a) ABORTION*
- Early in Canadian history all abortions were illegal. Prior to 1969, taking steps to cause an abortion was an offense liable to life imprisonment.
- The movement to liberalize Canada's abortion laws began in the 1960s. The bill, known as the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968-69, was passed on May 14, 1969, and provided for abortions when the health of the woman was in danger as determined by a three-doctor hospital committee. However, abortion still remained in the Criminal Code of Canada.
- In 1988 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the existing laws were unconstitutional and struck down the 1969 law. The governing Progressive Conservatives attempted, but failed, to pass a new abortion law, and since then Canada has had no laws on the subject.
- In January 2008, the government decided to fund all abortions without any limitations. Abortion in Canada is provided on request and funded by Medicare, to Canadian citizens and permanent residents in hospitals across the country.
The Catholic Church in Canada has been an outspoken critic of abortion. According to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Abortion is killing Canada's future".
Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children a reward from him.
Psalm 127:3 N.I.V.
Catholics argue that human life begins at conception, not birth, and that the unborn need to be protected.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together
in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13 to 14 N.I.V.
The Christian Heritage Party of Canada claims to be Canada's only stated pro-life federal political party, but has never had a member elected to parliament.
1) Thou Shalt Not Kill
b) EUTHANASIA**
Suicide is not a crime in Canada, but physician-assisted suicide is illegal.
Bill C-407 - On June 2005, Francine Lalonde introduced in Parliament a private Bill C-407 that would have legalized assisted suicide in Canada. Elections in 2006 and 2008 destroyed Lalonde's attempts to legalize euthanasia.
Bill C-384 - On May 13, 2009, Lalonde introduced Bill C-384 which is of the same nature as her other two attempts. The Bill was debated in the House of Commons, but died on April 21, 2010 in second reading House of Commons when the vote to advance Bill C-384 to the Justice and Human Rights committee failed 59 to 228.
Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 20:13 K.J.V.
2) Homosexuality***
In 1969 homosexuality was decriminalized in Canada as a result of Bill C-150 being introduced in 1967 and passed in 1969.
They exchanged the truth
of God for a lie,
and worshiped and served created things
rather than the Creator
— who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this,
God gave them over to shameful lusts.
Even their women exchanged
natural relations for unnatural ones.
In the same way the men also
abandoned natural relations with women
and were inflamed with lust for one another.
Men committed indecent acts with other men,
and received in themselves
the due penalty for their perversion.
Romans 1:25 to 27 N.I.V.
In 1988 the United Church of Canada became the first church in Canada to allow the ordination of gays and lesbians.
3) Same-sex Marriages***
"'Do not lie with a man
as one lies with a woman;
that is detestable.
Leviticus 18:22 N.I.V.
Since 2005, Canada has offered civil marriage rights nationwide to same-sex couples.
Do you not know that
the wicked will not
inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral
nor idolaters nor adulterers
nor male prostitutes
nor homosexual offenders
nor thieves nor the greedy
nor drunkards nor slanderers
nor swindlers will inherit
the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 to 10 N.I.V.
The information in this chapter was taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, in the following articles:
Christmas, Prayer, and Bibles
Today in Canada we see murder, homosexuality, sexual immorality, as well as other sins, becoming acceptable. Yet prayer and any mention of Jesus or God is frowned upon.
Christ Jesus has been removed from Christmas. Many retailers warn their employees against wishing anyone a Merry Christmas, but instead must wish them Happy Holidays.
Prayer has been removed from our public schools. Bibles have been removed from many public places so as not to offend anyone. Will Bibles soon be banned from all public places, Christian schools, and then finally, from our own homes?
These freedoms are being systematically taken away from us. Are we aware this is only the beginning of persecution of Christians in Canada?
It is as though the whole world has turned upside down. What was once considered right, is now wrong. What was once considered wrong has become acceptable and even encouraged.
Our marriages, families, homes, values, and freedoms are disintegrating before our very eyes. We need to wake up and fight this rapid deterioration of our nation.
We know we will be persecuted, yet we must stand up for Jesus.
4
A Call to Pray
I encourage and exhort each and every one of my brothers and sisters in Christ to pray, now more than ever.
What a privilege God has given His children to come to His throne of grace at our time of need.
Let us then approach
the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us
in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 N.I.V.
For we know our prayers are powerful and effective.
Therefore confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other
so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man
is powerful and effective.
James 5:16 N.I.V.
We need to pray for everyone.
I urge, then, first of all, that requests,
prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone—
1 Timothy 2:1 N.I.V.
We also need to continue to pray for one another.
And pray in the Spirit
on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests.
With this in mind,
be alert and always keep on
praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 N.I.V.
For we know God will answer our prayers.
This is the confidence
we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything
according to his will,
he hears us. And if
we know that he hears us —
whatever we ask —
we know that we have
what we asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15 N.I.V.
In closing I encourage everyone to:
Preach the Word;
be prepared in season
and out of season;
correct, rebuke and encourage —
with great patience
and careful instruction.
For the time will come
when men will not put up
with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires,
they will gather around them
a great number of teachers
to say what their itching
ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears
away from the truth
and turn aside to myths.
But you, keep your head
in all situations,
endure hardship,
do the work
of an evangelist,
discharge all the duties
of your ministry.
2nd Timothy 4:2 to 5 N.I.V.
May the Lord bless you and give you His peace as you glorify and trust in Him.
